Cigarette-dispensing case



Nov. 12, 1929. c. G. LAINE 1,735,253

CIGARETTE DISPENSING CASE Filed Aug. 16, 1923 Fatented Nov. 12, 19 29 I; UNITED 's'rA'rss PATENT, OFFICE- CLARENCE GEORGE LAINE,' or EvAusvILLn, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF To ARTHUR G. MILLERLEI, or VANDERBURGH ooUNrrY,

INDIANA CIGARETTE-DISEENSING oAsii mApplication filed August 16, 1928. Serial No. 300,030. I

This invention relates to an improved case or container adapted for holding a complete packet of cigarettes and for dispensing them, as required by the user. i j

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, neat, and compact case adapted to hold an entire packet of cigarettes and provided with improved follower means for holding the remaining cigarettes after the first one has been dispensed, improved dispensing means whereby one or more cigarettes may be projected from the package in convenient arrangementto be removed by the user, and other improvements appearing more fully hereinafter, whereby any number of cigarettes, from a complete package to the last one of the package, will be properly held and dispensed without'possibility of clogging, disarrangement of the cigarettes, or damage to them.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1, is a side elevation showing a cigarette elevated, ready for removal, a part of the package having previously been dis- Fig. 2, is anend elevation illustrating how the dispensing means may be utilizedto dlspense a plurality of the cigarettes;

Fig. 3, is a horizontal section through Fig. 1; y y I Fig. 4, is a vertical section through F 1g. 2,

a part of the package having been dispensed;

Fig. 5, is a view like Fig. 4:, illustrating how one of thefirst cigarettes is dispensed;

Fig. 6, is a horizontal section through Fig. 1, showing the case'when it is empty;

Fig. 7, is a view like Fig. 6, showing the case when filled; and

Fig. 8, comprises detail views of one of the follower springs.

The case 1 is of a size adapting it tocontain a complete package of cigarettes, said case being provided with a sliding top 2 which, when closed as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, leaves a space 3 across its top adjacent one of its sides just large enough to easily permit the passage ofthe cigarettes in the end row.

To facilitate the proper dispensing of the cigarettes, there is provided a spring 4: which has fingers 5, (Fig.6) to engage the respective cigarettes of the end row.

The innermost row of cigarettes bears against an upright slidable follower 6. Contractile bowed springs 7 arranged at different heights of the case, are anchored at 8 near the dispensing end of the case, the remaining parts of said springs being adapted to lie alongside and against the walls of the case when the case is full of cigarettes as shown in Fig. 7, the ends of the springs bearing against the follower 6 and exerting pressure thereon. As the cigarettes are dis pensed, the contraction of the springs 7 pushes the follower 6 along within the case The rear ends of the slots have offsets or de pressions 11 to enable the knobs to be located so that the follower 6 willbe held at the rear of the case whenthe package of cigarettes is inserted.

The dispensing means comprise vertical guides 12 in which slide the L-shaped dispensing slides 13 whose lower ends 1 .1 are adapted to enter the depression 15 in the bottom of the case as shown in Fig. 4, so that the front row of cigarettes will overlie these parts and will be in position to be elevated as shown in Figs. 1 and2. The dispensing slides 13 have finger pieces 16 slidable in the guides 12 and by grasping these, the'respective slides may be elevated or depressed.

Having locked the buttons 9 in'the depressions 11, the cover is slid back and an entire package of cigarettes is inserted within the case as shown in Fig. 7. The rear-most row of cigarettes receives the pressure of the follower 6, such pressure being. communicated to the front row of cigarettes which are then raised on'the slides 13. The cover 2 having been closed, the space 3 serves as a slot through which any one or all of the cigarettes of the first row may be dispensed. Upon releasing the buttons 9, the springs 7 will continue to feed the cigarettes toward the dispensing end of the case, even to the last cigarette. When all of the cigarettes have been removed, the springs 7 appear as in Fig. 6.

The cigarettes are shown at 17 What I claim is: V

1. In a cigarette dispensing case, the combination with a container having a dispensing opening, of a follower movable within said container and arranged to bear side-wise against the cigarettes, and a plurality of coil springs arranged at different heights of the container and of the follower, said springs being of the single coil contractile type and connected to the casein the region ofthe dispensing opening and arranged to be eXtended or spread out flat-wisealong the inner walls of the container when the follower is pushed back to enable the cigarettes to be introduced into the said container, said springs co-operating with the follower to feed the cigarettes within the latter.

7 2. In a cigarette dispensing case, the combination with a container having a dispensing opening, of a follower movable within said container and arranged to bear side-wise against the cigarettes, a plurality of coil springs arranged at different heights of the container and of the follower, said springs being of the single coil contractile type and connected to the case in the region of the dispensing opening and arranged to be extendedor spread out fiat-wise along the inner walls of the container when the follower is pushed back to enable the cigarettes to be introduced into the said container, said springs co-operating with the follower to feed the cigarettes within the latter, slots being provided in the sides of the container, buttons or finger pieces connected to the follower,

and means for locking the button or finger pieces to hold the follower in retracted position. I

3. In a cigarette dispensing case, the comranged to press side-wise on the rows of cigarettes, springs co-operating with the follower, and independent dispensing devices whereby the end cigarettes of the rows may be independently dispensed without interfering with the remaining cigarettes.

5. In a cigarette dispensing case, the com bination with a container adapted to hold a plurality of rows of cigarettes and having an opening through which the cigarettes may be dispensed in the direction of their length, of a follower within the container and arranged to press side-wise on the rows of cigarettes, springs co-operating with the follower, independent dispensing devices whereby the end cigarettes of the rows may be independently dispensed without interfering with the remaining cigarettes, and means for latching the follower against the action of the springs, thereby to permit introduction of the cigarettes within the case.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CLARENCE GEORGE LAINE.

bination with a container having a dispensing opening, and means for feeding the cigarettes transversely of themselves within said container, of a plurality of independently ac tuable dispensing slides on which the respective cigarettes of the front row rest, whereby the respective ones of said front row of cigarettes may be individually dispensed through the aforesaid opening without interfering with the remaining cigarettes of the front row.

4. In a cigarette dispensing case, the combination witha container adapted to hold a plurality of rows of cigarettes and having an opening through which the cigarettes may be dispensed in the direction of their length, of a followerwithin the container and ar- 

